Machine and method for making cigarettes



June 2, 1970 J, SLEDGE ETAL 3,515,147

MACHINE AND METHOD FOR MAKING CIGARETTES 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 25,1968 INVFNTORS Jr!!! #:75597252506! BY (424 .5zra/u5z/ FIG. I

June 1970 J. H. SLEDGE ET AL 3,515,147

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June 2, 1970 J. H. SLEDGE ET AL 3,515,147

MACHINE AND METHOD FOR MAKING CIGARETTES Filed June 25, 1968 3Sheets-Sheet 5 66 66 53/ f f 64 5 E J :4, 52, 44, 49 1 2 a M4 9 1INVFNTOR5 55: fliwierfz :00:

074" m M MM United States Patent O 3,515,147 MACHINE AND METHOD FORMAKING CIGARETTES Jesse Herbert Sledge, Richmond, Va., and CarlSzybalski,

Walnut Creek, Calif., assignors to Sutlilf Tobacco Company, Richmond,Va., a corporation of California Filed June 25, 1968, Ser. No. 739,840Int. Cl. A24c /40, 5/08, 5/52 U.S. Cl. 13129 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE A machine for rolling filter cigarettes by depositing filtersand tobacco in a pocket in a flexible apron and compressing and rollingthe filters and tobacco onto a piece of cigarette paper in a movingbight in the apron formed between a roller and a plate is provided witha magazine for supplying a sequence of filters and measured amounts oftobacco to the pocket, resetting means for reforming the pocket, holdingmeans for holding the paper on the apron in advance of the fold thereinand a blade for cutting rolled cigarettes to proper length.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to machines andmethods for making cigarettes and in particular to machines and methodswherein a measured portion of tobacco which has been deposited in apocket in an apron is compressed and rolled onto a piece of cigarettepaper in a moving bight formed in the apron between a roller and aplate.

The method of rolling cigarettes in which tobacco is compressed androlled onto a piece of cigarette paper by a moving bight in an apronformed between a roller and a plate is old in the art and machinesutilizing this method have been used for many years. In machines of thischaracter for personal or portable use, however, there has been noeffective provision for the rolling of filter cigarettes. Further,tobacco must be supplied to such machines for each cigarette rolled and,in many cases, in unmeasured amounts. Finally, paper positioned on theapron of such machines in advance of the bight therein tends to bepushed along this apron rather than be received therein flat andunwrinkled with the result that imperfect cigarettes are rolled.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention is a method and a portablemachine for rolling cigarettes of the same general character as thatdescribed above, but which also incorporates certain additional featureswhich make the method easier to accomplish and the machine a morepractical one. Means are provided for automatically reforming the pocketin the apron for the receipt of tobacco and filters at the beginning ofa rolling operation. A magazine, capable of receiving sutficient tobaccoand filters for a number of cigarettes and of depositing measuredportions thereof in the pocket at the beginning of each rolling process,is also supplied together with a device for aligning the filters in thepocket before the process begins. The paper problem is also solved by aholder which holds the paper in its position in advance of the bight,only releasing it when a substantial portion thereof has been receivedWithin the bight.

It is thus an object of the invention to provide a cigarette makingmachine for personal use with a magazine capable of receiving suflicienttobacco and filters for numerous cigarettes and of depositing the amountthereof required by one rolling process in position therefor.

It is another object of the invention to provide a cigarette makingmachine for personal use which is capable of making cigarettes withfilters thereon.

3,515,147. Patented June 2, 1970 "ice Another object of the invention isto provide a cigarette making machine for personal use in which thepocket in the apron thereof for receipt of tobacco and filters at thebeginning of the making process is automatically formed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cigarette making machinefor personal use in which cigarette paper is held in a suitable positionfor receipt thereby and released when so received.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method of makingcigarettes in which measured portions of tobacco and filters aresupplied for succeeding operations thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method of making filtercigarettes which is suitable for personal use.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a generally improvedmachine and method for making cigarettes.

Other objects of the invetnion will be apparent from the description inconjunction with the drawings included herewith.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view of acigarette making machine embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 22 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view similar to that of FIG. 2 showing thecigarette making process in an intermediate stage, other stages beingshown in phantom.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view to an enlarged scale taken alongthe line 5-5 in FIG. 1 which shows the apron pocket being reformed inphantom.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 66 in FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The machine embodying theinvention is generally boxlike, having a pair of sides 11 (FIG. 4), afront end 12 and a rear end 13. These, together with other components ofthe machine which are not otherwise specified, may be made of anyconvenient material such as molded plastic or sheet aluminum orstainless steel. For access to the elements mounted therein, the top andbottom of the machine are open, although flanges 14 bent inwardly fromthe bottom edges of sides 11 have strips of cushioning material 16affixed thereto to serve as support for the machine.

Positioned within the machine at an intermediate depth therein is aplate 17 extending the entire width thereof and extending longitudinallyfrom generally the center of the machine to a position a spaced distancefrom the rear end 13 (FIGS. 2, 4). The plate 17 may be mounted byaffixing flanges 18 depending from the sides thereof to the sides 11 ofthe machine by suitable fasteners 19. The front end of the plate 17 hasa downwardly curved portion 21, while the rear end thereof has adownwardly curved portion 22 to which is attached a further portion 23which also curves downwardly but in the opposite sense from the portion22.

Extending transversely of the machine is a horizontal roller 24 (FIG.2). The roller 24 extends through the sides 11 of the machine to knobs26 (FIG. 1) and is constrained to move in slots 27 (FIG. 2) in the sides11 at a small distance above the plate 17 from a position a spaceddistance forward of the forward portion 21 of the plate 17 to a positionbetween the rear portion 23 of the plate 17 and the rear end 13 of themachine.

The conventional cigarette making machine is completed by an apron 28(FIGS. 1, 2) extending over the plate 17. The apron 28 is flexible andmaybe conveniently made of a rubberized cloth material. It is mountedbetween rods 29 and 31 (FIG. 2) which extend transversely of themachine. Rod 29 is mounted on the rear end portion 22 of the plate 17 ina position just rearwardly of the portion 22 and just below the level ofthe plate 17. Rod 31 extends between, and is afiixed to, the sides 11 ina position slightly higher than, and somewhat forward of, the end of theslots 27 in the sides 11. The apron 28 extends the width of the machineand is of a length somewhat greater than the distance between the rods29 and 31 such that the apron is slack therebetween. The amount of slackin the apron may be conveniently determined by providing the mountingposition of the rod 31 on the sides 11 with some longitudinal leewaysuch as slots 32.

As shown in FIG. 2, when the roller 24 is positioned adjacent theforward end of the slots 27, the slack in the apron 28 may take the formof a pocket 33 (FIG. 2) formed between the forward portion 21 of theplate 17 and the roller 24. However, as the roller is moved along theslots to a position above the plate 17 (FIG. 3), the slack in the apron28 will take the form of a bight 34 formed by the portion of the aprontrapped between the roller 24 and the plate 17. This bight 34 will moveas the roller 24 is moved rearwardly in the slots 27 and the surface ofthe bight will rotate as the portion of the apron rearwardly thereofpasses thereinto along the surface of the plate and then passes outaround the roller 24. Accordingly, tobacco which is within the bightwill be rolled as the roller 24 is moved rearwardly. Transition from thepocket 33 to the bight 34 takes place as the roller 24 is moved in theslots 27 past the forward portion 21 of the plate 17, and at this pointtobacco within the pocket is compressed.

The embodiment of the invention disclosed herein is adapted to roll twofilter cigarettes. The cigarettes are rolled as a single unit, inend-to-end relation with the filters on the outer ends, and as a laststep in the procedure, the single unit is cut through the center thereofby means which will be disclosed later on, resulting in the twocigarettes.

Provision for filters is made by a pair of plates 36 mounted to passthrough the pocket 33 in the apron 28 through slits 37 cut therein (FIG.1). As is particularly shown in FIG. 6, tobacco 38 is placed in thepocket 33 between the plates 36 while a filter 39 is placed at each endof the pocket ouside of the plates 36 and in abutment therewith. As thetobacco and filters are moved away from the plates 36, compression androlling thereof will cause the tobacco to move against the filter, butnot around it, resulting in a firm and uniform cigarette.

Aligning the filter 39 transversely of the machine in the pocket 33 andpositioning it against the plate 36 may be accomplished by a button 41(FIG. 1) mounted on a shaft 42 passing through the side 11 in a positionto engage the filter in the pocket. A spring 43 holds the button againstthe side 11 until its use is desired at which time depression of theshaft 42 by an operator of the machine will move the button into aposition shown in dotted line in FIG. 6. Repeated depression of theshaft 42 tends to jiggle a filter into the desired transverseorientation, on the event it is not in alignment when dropped intoposition, and a final depression will move it into a position inabutment with the plate 36.

The invention also includes means for automatically reforming the'pocket33 when the roller 24 has been returned to the forward portion of theslots 27 to begin a new rolling cycle. As is particularly shown in FIG.5, where the pocket is being reformed, a shaft 44 extending transverselyof the machine, is mounted for rotation in the sides 11 slightly abovethe forward end of the slots 27. A pair of arms 46 extend downwardlyfrom the shaft through the slits 37 in the apron 28 into a positionwhere they are engageable by the roller 24 shortly before it reaches theforward end of the slots 27. Accordingly, motion of the roller all theway to the forward ends of the slots causes the shaft 44 to be rotatedthrough engagement of the roller with the arms 46. Springs 47 (FIG. 3)stretch from the ends of the arms 46 to a rod 48 extending transverselyof the machine and mounted on the sides 11 thereof in a position suchthat the shaft 44 will automatically be returned to its unrotatedposition when the roller 24 has been moved rearwardly in the slots.

A pair of fingers 49 extend generally rearwardly, with a small downwardcurvature, from the shaft 44 (FIG. 5) when it is in its unrotatedposition. The fingers 49 are positioned to the outside of the plates 36and each has a pin 51 extending outwardly therefrom to overlie asubstantial portion of the margin of the apron 28. Upon rotation of theshaft 44 through engagement of the roller 24 with the arms 46, thefingers 49 are rotated against the upper surface of the apron 28 andthrough the space between the roller 24 and the forward portion 21 ofthe plate 17. The slack in the apron 28 is thus pushed into this space,forming the pocket 33 for receipt of tobacco and filters. A third finger52 extends outwardly from the center of the shaft 44 (FIG. 1) generallyparallel to the fingers 49 to form the pocket in the portion of theapron between the plates 36 in a similar manner.

In the invention, tobacco and filters are supplied to the pocket 33 by amagazine, generally designated 53 (FIGS. 1-3, 5), which is capable ofstoring sufficient filters and tobacco for the making of a number ofcigarettes, but delivering to the pocket only those filters and theamount of tobacco needed to roll the two cigarettes the machine may makeat a time. In the present embodiment, the magazine is designed to holdtobacco and filters for ten cigarettes or five operations of themachine.

The magazine 53 is comprised of a platform 54 and a sliding member 56.The platform 54 is rectangular and is mounted on the top of the machineextending between the sides 11 and from the front end 12 to a positionover the front edge of the pocket 33. The sliding member, which mayconveniently be made or molded of plastic, 56 is constrained to movelongitudinally of the machine along the upper surface of the platform 54and the upper edges of the sides 11 by guides 57 (FIG. 4). Motion of thesliding member 56 past the forward end 12 is prevented by an upturnedflange 58 on the forward edge of the platform 54 (FIGS. 3, 4), while theopposite edge of the platform is free from obstruction.

The central portion of the sliding member 56 is rectangular in plan andsurrounded by a wall 59. It is divided into five transversely extendingtroughs or cells 61 by four transverse dividers 62 (FIGS. 1, 2)extending from the bottom of the sliding member upwardly to a heightless than that of the wall 59. The bottoms of the troughs 61 are thusopen although they are effectively closed by the positioning of thesliding member 56 on top of the platform 54. Sliding of the slidingmember over the free edge of the platform above the pocket 33 allowstobacco in the troughs 61 to sequentially drop into the pocket. Theheight of the dividers 62 are such that when the troughs are full to alevel equal thereto, they contain the amount of tobacco needed for twocigarettes. Thus if a portion of tobacco measured to be equivalent toten cigarettes is simply dumped into the center portion and spreadbetween the troughs to form a level surface all the way across, eachtrough will end up containing the right amount of tobacco for twocigarettes.

The portions of the sliding member 56 to the sides of the centralportion, each contain five troughs 63, also bottomless, and each of asize to contain one cigarette filter designated 39. These troughs 63 areso positioned that there is one at each end of each of the troughs 61 sothat as the tobacco in one of the troughs 61 is deposited in the pocket33 between the plates 36, a filter from a corresponding trough 63 isdeposited in the pocket 33 in each of those portions thereof outside ofthe plates 36.

The sliding member 56 also carries means by which it may be stopped andheld in a position such that only one set of troughs 61 and 63 arepositioned over the pocket 33 at a time. Adjacent the front edge of thesliding member on each side thereof are positioned a pair of holes 64(FIGS. 1, 2) passing vertically therethrough. A sleeve 66, open at thebottom and closed enough at the top to provide for a spring seat, isaffixed therein. A spring 67 in each of the sleeves 66 presses a ball 68out of the. bottom thereof to sit in a series of detents 69 in theplatform. The detents 69 are so positioned along the platform that whenaball 68 is positioned therein, only one set of the troughs 61 and 63 arepositioned over the pocket 33.

Completion of the rolling of the cigarette is accomplished by rollingthe tobacco and filters contained in the bight 34 onto a piece ofcigarette paper 71 (FIGS. 1, 2) positioned on the apron 28 in advance ofthe bight. As the paper is received within the bight, it tends to followthe apron around the tobacco with the result that the tobacco becomesrolled therein. A gummed edge 72 on the paper 71 (FIG. 1) which may bemoistened in any suitable manner shortly before the paper is entirelyreceived within the bight, causes the paper to be sealed to itself whenit has completely enclosed the tobacco and filters.

Paper 71 heretofore positioned on an apron such as 28 in advance of thebight 34 has been pushed, at least in part, along the apron in advanceof the bight by a roller similar to 24, with the result that it isfrequently received within the bight in a twisted or creased condition,if at all. The result, of course, is unsatisfactory cigarettes and awaste of tobacco, filters, paper and time. This problem is prevented inthis invention by a paper holder 73 (FIG. 2) which comprises a bar 74,mounted transversely of the machine for frictionally resisted rotation,and a pair of spring fingers 76 extending therefrom for engagement withpaper 71 positioned on the apron 28. The bar 74 may conveniently bemounted across the upper edge of the machine at the rear end 13 thereofby fastening ears 77 depending from the ends thereof to the sides 11 byfrictional fasteners 78. The paper 71 may be positioned on the apron 28to be engaged by the spring fingers 76 by lines 79 scribed on the apron,and when so positioned, the bar 74 may be rotated into a position suchthat the fingers push down against the paper to frictionally hold it inplace, the friction fasteners 78 holding the bar in this position.

When the paper has been substantially received within the bight, asshown in FIG. 3, the holder 73 is no longer necessary. Accordingly, theends 81 of the spring fingers 76 may be formed such that interactionbetween them and the roller 24 (FIG. 3) will cause them to rise from thepaper and ride over the roller.

The final step in the making of cigarettes in the invention is cuttingthe double cigarette rolled by the machine into two parts. This isaccomplished by the knife blade 82 mounted on the slide 83. The slide83, as best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, is mounted in the machine forlongitudinal movement thereof through the rear end 13. The slide has acentral portion 84 which is planar and raised such that the lower edgeof the curved portion 23 of the plate 17 slides along the upper surfacethereof as the slide is moved longitudinally of the machine. The knifeblade 82 is mounted longitudinally of the machine in the center of thisportion extending vertically therefrom such that its edge extends at anangle upwardly and rearwardly therefrom. A slot 86 through the curvedportion 23 of the plate 17 allows passage of the knife bladetherethrough as the slide 83 is moved.

Arms 87 extend upwardly from the edges of the slide 83 in the vicinityof the knife blade 82 into position for engagement by the roller 24 asit is moved along the slots 27. Thus, as the roller is moved, the slide83 is also moved by this engagement such that the knife blade 82 ispassed through the slot 86 into the position 88 shown in phantom in FIG.3. When the roller reaches the end of its travel, the double cigaretteis dropped from the apron as indicated by the arrow 89 in FIG. 3 intothe position 91. The slide 83 is then manually pushed into the machineand while the double cigarette is held by the portion 23 of the plate17, the knife 82 passes therethrough depositing the two cigarettes 92 onthe lower portion 93 of the slide as shown in FIG. 2 where they may begathered by withdrawing the slide from the machine manually to theposition 94 shown in phantom in FIGS. 1 and 2. Manual operation of theslide 83 may be facilitated by ears 96 extending from the sides thereofand ears 97 extending from the sides 11 of the machine.

In operation, the machine is prepared by moving the sliding member 56 ofthe magazine 53 up against the flange 58. An amount of tobacco measuredfor ten cigarettes is deposited within the wall 59 and spread evenlythrough the troughs 61. Ten filters are placed in the troughs 63. Theroller 24 is moved all the way to the forward end of the slots 27 sothat the pocket 33 is formed in the apron 28 by the operation of thefingers 49 and 52. A piece of paper 71 is positioned on the apron 28between the lines 79 and the fingers 76 of the holder 73 are moved intoengagement therewith to hold it in place.

Operation is begun by sliding the sliding member 56 until the balls 68drop into the first of the detents 69. The first of the troughs 61 willthen be positioned over the pocket 33 and the tobacco contained in thistrough will be dropped into the pocket 33 to the outside-s of the plates36 from the troughs 63. The filters may be properly aligned andpositioned against the plates 36 by operation of the buttons 41 asdescribed above. The machine is now ready for the rolling step to begin.

Rolling is begun by moving the roller 24 with the knobs 26 along theslots 27 towards the rear end of the machine 13. As the roller movesover the curved portion of 21 of the plate 17, the pocket 33 will betransformed into the bight 34 and the tobacco and filters will becompressed against each other therein. The paper will be received withinthe bight when the roller reaches that portion of the apron, the holderreleasing the paper when the roller interacts with the ends 81 of thespring fingers 76. Just before the gummed edge 72 of the paper isreceived within the bight 34 it may be moistened by the application ofwater thereto by a sponge or the like. When the paper has been entirelyreceived within the bight and sealed against itself, the doublecigarette is complete, and the cutting procedure described above maythen follow.

The procedure may be repeated four more times with the tobacco andfilters in the magazine 53 by moving the sliding member 56 one step eachtime. The sliding member may then be returned to its initial positionand refilled for repetition of the entire cycle. Thus, by the machinedescribed, ten complete, uniform cigarettes with filter thereon may bequickly formed. Obviously the capacity is merely limited by the size ofthe magazine.

From the foregoing description it is seen that the method that ispracticed is one in which a row of correspondingly elongated parallelbodies of uniformly measured loose tobacco are in side-by-side relation,which bodies are equal to double the length of the tobacco portion of asingle cigarette. The row of bodies is supported for movement in onedirection a predetermined distance normal to the lengths of said bodiesat spaced intervals of time, and for rolling the leading body in saidone direction about its longitudinal axis between each successiveinterval to a uniformly compacted cylindrical body of said length and atapproximately the same time enclosing and securing the compacted body ina cigarette paper by rolling said body in a sheet of said paper. Thepaper enclosed body is then cut centrally between its ends into twoequal lengths providing two cigarettes.

The method may also include the step of aligning a pair of filters atthe ends by rolling it and the body in said paper, during the rolling ofthe body in the paper, whereby two cigarettes with a filter on one endof each will be produced.

What is claimed is:

1. The method of making cigarettes that includes the steps of:

(a) supporting a horizontally-extending row of horizontally-elongated,uniform, uncompressed bodies of loose tobacco in spaced, parallel,side-by-side relation, respectively confined within vertical wallsdefining the lateral and end dimensions of said bodies, on ahorizontally-disposed, stationary plate having a straight free edge atone end of said row parallel with said bodies; said bodies being ofgreater thickness than the diameters of the cigarettes to be formedtherefrom,

(b) intermittently moving said walls and bodies horizontally across saidplate to and past said edge in a direction normal to the latter forfalling of said bodies, in succession from within said walls over saidedge solely under the influence of gravity during each intermittentmovement,

(c) receiving each body immediately after falling thereof over saidedge, and then (d) rolling each body so received in ahorizontallyextending path away from said edge and during said rolling,compressing each body to a cylindrical body axially extended to agreater length than when confined within said walls, and to the diameterof the cigarette to be formed, and enclosing and securing the body socompressed within a sheet of paper to form the cigarette,

(e) supporting on said plate a separate, cylindrical filter of the saiddiameter of the cigarettes to be formed adjacent one end of each of thebodies in said row thereof in axial alignment therewith but spacedtherefrom, for movement of said filters with said bodies past and oversaid edge of said stationary plate for falling, by gravity, with thebody of tobacco that is in alignment therewith, and so moving saidfilters simultaneous with said bodies, then,

(f) receiving each filter after falling with the body adjacent theretoand rolling each filter in the same direction as that of the bodyadjacent thereto together with and in axial alignment with the latter,until the diameter of the body is the same as the diameter of thefilter, and

(g) enclosing and securing the filter so rolled within said sheet ofpaper at the same time each body of tobacco is so enclosed, with one endof said filter in engagement with said one end of said body,

(h) and then discharging the cigarette so formed from saidlast-mentioned path.

2. The method of making cigarettes that includes the steps of:

(a) supporting a horizontally-extending row of horizontally-elongated,uniform, uncompressed bodies of loose tobacco in spaced, parallel,side-by-side relation, respectively confined within vertical wallsdefining the lateral and end dimensions of said bodies, on ahorizontally-disposed, stationary plate having a straight free edge atone end of said row parallel with said bodies; said bodies being ofgreater thickness than the diameters of the cigarettes to be formedtherefrom,

(b) intermittently moving said walls and bodies horizontally across saidplate to and past said edge in a direction normal to the latter forfalling of said bodies, in succession from within said walls over saidedge solely under the influence of gravity during each intermittentmovement,

(c) receiving each body immediately after falling thereof over saidedge, and then (d) rolling each body so received in ahorizontallyextending path away from said edge and during said rolling,compressing each body to a cylindrical body axially extended to agreater length than when confined within said walls, and to the diameterof the cigarette to be formed and enclosing and securing the body socompressed within a sheet of paper to form the cigarette,

(e) supporting on said plate a separate, cylindrical filter of saiddiameter of the cigarettes to be formed adjacent each of the oppositeends of each of the bodies in said row thereof in axial alignmenttherewith, but spaced therefrom, for movement of said filters with saidbodies past and over said edge of said stationary plate for falling bygravity with the body of tobacco in alignment therewith, and so movingsaid filters simultaneously with said body, then (f) receiving thefilters at opposite ends of each body after falling with the bodytherebetween and rolling said filters in the same direction as that ofthe body therebetween together with and in axial alignment with saidmentioned body until the diameter of the body is the same as thediameter of the filters at its ends and the ends of the body betweensaid filters are in engagement with said filters under axial extensionof said body during said rolling, and holding said filters a uniformpredetermined distance apart during said axial extension of said bodyand said compression of the tobacco of said body during said rollingthereof, and then enclosing and securing the filters so rolled with eachbody within said sheet of paper at the same time the body between thefilters is so enclosed, for discharge with said body, and thendischarging the body and filters so enclosed, and

(g) thereafter bisecting said body centrally between the ends thereof toprovide a pair of cigarettes having a filter at one of their ends.

3. A machine for making cigarettes, comprising, in

combination:

(a) a horizontally-elongated, flexible, tobacco-rolling apron having afiat horizontal upper surface intermediate its ends for supporting asheet of paper to be rolled about tobacco for forming a cigarette and anupwardly opening, horizontally-extending bight formed in one end thereofextending transversely of the length of said apron for receiving thereina horizontally-elongated body of loose, uncompressed tobacco forcompression to a cylindrical body of uniform diameter less than thethickness of said body of loose uncompressed tobacco and for axialextension of said body to a greater length upon moving said bight towardthe opposite end of said apron with said body of tobacco therein,

(b) bight-moving means supported adjacent said bight for horizontalmovement of the latter from said one end of said apron to said oppositeend thereof for rolling and so compressing and extending said body ofloose tobacco in said bight and for wrapping said paper about saidcompressed body and for return of said bight moving means to said oneend,

(0) a horizontally-disposed magazine supported at a lever above thelevel of said apron for horizontal. movement over and across said bightin a direction transversely of the latter, said magazine comprisingupstanding walls defining the sides and ends of a horizontal row ofhorizontally-elongated compart ments of the same size parallel with saidbight, and in side-by-side relation for respectively holding one of thehorizontally-elongated bodies of loose, uncompressed tobacco to bedropped into said bight to be formed into a cigarette,

(d) the compartments of said magazine being open at their upper andlower sides and exposed for simultaneous filling from above, and ahorizontal, stationary plate below said magazine closing the lower sidesof said compartments for supporting said compartments and the tobaccotherein for movement to and over said bight and for discharge of thebodies of tobacco from successive of said compartments into said bighteach time the latter is formed in said one end of said apron forreceiving one of said bodies, said plate having a free, straight edgeadjacent to and parallel with said bight over which the tobacco in eachcompartment is discharged,

(e) means including said bight-moving means for discharging thecigarette formed in said bight from the latter at said opposite end whensaid bight-moving means is moved to said opposite end of said apron,

(f) filter-positioning and moving means rigid with said magazine alongthe walls defining one of the ends of said row of compartments forpositioning a row of filters alongside said row of compartments with onefilter in axial alignment with and adjacent to each of said compartmentsand with said filters supported on said plate for movement with saidmagazine past said edge of the latter for dropping by gravity into oneend of said bight simultaneously with the falling of the tobacco in theadjacent compartment that is in alignment therewith, and for rollingwith said tobacco for enclosure with said tobacco within said sheet ofpaper, and for discharge from said bight.

4. In a machine as defined in claim 3;

(g) means stationary relative to said bight adjacent to said one end ofsaid apron providing a pocket in said bight at one end of the latter foreach filter separate from the portion of the bight in which said tobaccois discharged, whereby each filter will drop into said pocket separatedfrom the tobacco falling simultaneously with the filter, saidlast-mentioned means terminating at the side of said bight nearest tosaid opposite end of said apron when said bight is open and at said oneend of said apron to enable the tobacco in said bight, during rollingthereof to compressed form to axially expand into engagement with thefilter in said one end of said bight.

5. A machine for making cigarettes, comprising, in

combination:

(a) a horizontally-elongated, flexible, tobacco-rolling apron having aflat horizontal upper surface intermediate its ends for supporting asheet of paper to be rolled about tobacco for forming a cigarette and anupwardly opening, horizontally-extending bight formed in one end thereofextending transversely of the length of said apron for receiving thereina horizontally-elongated body of loose, uncompressed tobacco forcompression to a cylindrical body of uniform diameter less than thethickness of said body of loose uncompressed tobacco upon moving saidbight toward the opposite end of said apron with said body of tobaccotherein, a

(b) bight-moving means supported adjacent said bight for horizontalmovement of the latter from said one end of said apron to said oppositeend thereof for rolling and so compressing said body of loose tobacco insaid bight and for wrapping said paper about said compressed body andfor return of said bight-moving means to said one end,

(c) a horizontally-disposed magazine supported at a level above thelevel of said apron for horizontal movement over and across said bightin a direction transversely of the latter, said magazine comprisingupstanding walls defining the sides and ends of a horizontal row ofhorizontally-elongated compartments of the same size parallel with saidbight, and in side-by-side relation for respectively holding one of thehorizontally-elongated bodies of loose, un-

compressed tobacco to be dropped into said bight to be formed into acigarette,

(d) the compartments of said magazine being open at their upper andlower sides and exposed for simultaneous filling from above, and ahorizontal, stationary plate below said magazine closing the lower sidesof said compartments for supporting said compartments and the tobaccotherein for movement to and over said bight and for discharge of thebodies of tobacco from successive of said compartments into said bighteach time the latter is formed in said one end of said apron forreceiving one of said bodies, said plate having a free, straight edgeadjacent to and parallel with said bight over which the tobacco in eachcompartment is discharged,

(e) means including said bight-moving means for discharging thecigarette formed in said bight from the latter at said opposite end whensaid bight-moving means is moved to said opposite end of said apron,

(f) filter-positioning means rigid with said magazine along the wallsdefining opposite ends of the com-v partments of said roW forpositioning a pair of rows of cylindrical filters along said oppositeends of the row of compartments with one of the filters in each rowthereof in axial alignment with and adjacent to each of the compartmentsand supported on said plate for movement with said magazine past saidedge of the latter for dropping said filters by gravity into said bightupon discharge of the tobacco in each compartment into said bight whensaid magazine is moved to so discharge said tobacco,

(g) said bight and said apron extending transversely of the length ofsaid apron beyond the ends of the compartments of said row thereof forreceiving in the extended ends of said bight the filters discharged fromeach filter-positioning means simultaneously with discharge of thetobacco from the compartment into the bight between each pair offilters,

(h) partition means stationary relative to said bight adjacent to saidone end of said apron providing a pocket in said bight at each endthereof separate from and outwardly of the portion of said bight inwhich said tobacco is discharged whereby each filter will drop into saidpockets separated from said tobacco, said last-mentioned meansterminating at the side of said bight nearest to said opposite end ofsaid apron when said bight is open and at said one end of said apron topermit the tobacco in said bight during rolling thereof to compressedform to axially expand into engagement with said filters, and

(i) means for bisecting the paper-enclosed body of tobacco centrallybetween said pair of filters after. the cigarette formed in said bighthas been discharged from the latter.

'6. In a machine as defined in claim 5;

(j) horizontally spaced bight-forming means supported in elevatedpositions adjacent to opposite ends of said bight and outwardly of saidpartition means relative to the portion of the bight between saidpartition means when the latter is at said one end of said apron, saidbight-forming means being spaced above opposite longitudinally-extendingmarginal portions of said apron for downward movement to loweredpositions in engagement with the portions of said apron forming saidpockets in said bight,

(k) said bight-moving means being engageable with said bight-formingmeans upon movement of said bight-moving means to said one end of saidapron and actuatable by movement of said bight-moving means to said oneend for moving said bight-forming means to said lower position movingsaid apron downwardly adjacent to said one end of said apron for formingsaid upwardly opening bight prior to each movement of said magazine fordischarging 11 tobacco and filters from one of said compartments intosaid bight,

(l) yieldable means connected with said bight-forming means forautomatically moving the latter from said lowered to said elevatedpositions and for holding said bight-forming means in said elevatedposition out of engagement with said filters when said bightmoving meansis released upon its return to adjacent said one end of said apron andprior to movement of said magazine for discharging tobacco and filtersinto said bight whereby said bight including said pockets will be emptywhen the magazine is moved to discharge a body of tobacco and a pair offilters into said bight.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 388,314 8/1888 Shock 131-44Jerstrum 13144 X Calocofi 131-51 X Starrett 13l36 Edwards et a1 13194Brown et al 13146 X Rudszinat et a1. 13194 FOREIGN PATENTS GreatBritain. Great Britain. Great Britain.

SAMUEL KOREN, Primary Examiner I. H. CZERWONKY, Assistant Examiner U.S.Cl. X.R.

